A supremely talented keeper-batsman, Nicholas Pooran promises to make a big splash on the big stage in the years to come. He hit the headlines in the inaugural version of the CPL, walloping ...Full profile

A supremely talented keeper-batsman, Nicholas Pooran promises to make a big splash on the big stage in the years to come. He hit the headlines in the inaugural version of the CPL, walloping a 24-ball-54 for Trinidad and Tobago Steel against the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Such was the brutality of the innings that even Sunil Narine did not escape the pasting.

Expectedly, he was picked for the Under 19 World Cup in the UAE. He showcased an icy cool temperament well beyond his age, pulling West Indies out of the mire from 70-8 and then eventually lifting them to an improbable 208 in the quarter-final. His 143 could not prevent Australia from winning but it did leave an indelible mark. An ardent admirer of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Pooran did a Dhoni, rebuilding the innings in the middle stages and following it up with some clean straight hitting at the death.

With many eyes trained in his direction, much stiffer challenges await the young turk. Can he rise above all the pitfalls and gins? Only time will tell us.

Interesting facts: At the age of 17,Pooran was the youngest to figure in the CPL.